Willard g



(No Model.) W. G. DAY.

METHOD OF PRBSERVING PERISHABLE SUBSTANCES.

Patented Nov. 16, 1897.

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UNITE-n JSATAteEsi'fATENT WILLARD G. DAY, OFTBALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO WILLIAM F. HOWARD, OF SAME PLACE, AND GEORGE II. HOWARD, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OFOOLUMBIA.

METHOD (OF PRESIERVING PERISHABLE SUBSTANCES.

' SPEOIFIGATION forming partof .Letters' Patent No. 593,' 74.1, dated November .16, 1897.

Application filed September 14, 1896.

To all whom it mag concern.- Be. it .known that I, WILLARD G.'DAY, of

the city of Baltimore, in the State. of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful- Improvements in Methods of Preserving Per ishable Substances, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the ac: companying drawing and'the letters and fig-. ures of reference markedthereon. 3

1o My'invention relates to methods of preserving perishable substances through the action.

of the radiant energy-such aslight, heat, and actinic wavesdeveloped by and from an electric current. I have found and demon-l [5 strated after careful experiment that the ac-i tion of the rays from an electriclight, either; incandescent or arc,on an organic body placed:

in proximity to it is such that all incipient germs of life, whether vof approximately high;

7 order, such as life-germsre. 9., those of the;

egg-or of the low order, such as decay-germs;

or germs of the kind which cause putrescence; and mold, are killed, or at least renderedless? harmful. 'Inbrief, this radiant energy has 2 5 a sterilizing effect. I therefore consider the? application of these rays to' be highly im; portant in' the art of preserving perishable food from the influence of mold and decay? By proximity of the organic body to be acted on to the source of radiant energy is meant that the substance to bepreserved is placed in such intimate nearness to the center of en-; ergy from which the light, heat, and actinics waves proceed that said energy is capablef 3 5 of being concentrated on said substance in or-@ der to produce the desired effect. Therefore there must be such intimacy of relationship; between the substance and the source of en-i ergy as will produce under all normal condi-f 4o tions the effect or an approximation to the: effect desired. Consequently the mereinci-j dental placing of an electric lamp within a; room for lighting purposeswouldnot be re; garded as resulting in any of the functions accomplished by my arrangement, and there-.1 fore I have no intention of covering such an: incidental arrangement,as such incidental ar-i ran gement has no bearing upon my invention; The apparatus-requiredfor this method is a very simple one, being either an incandes-l cent or arc light placed near said substances perishable substance is placed in proximity to fierial No. 605,770. (No specimens.)

'or in a chamber or receptacle which may hold these substances, they being acted upon either directly or through slight intervening media. This lamp is supplied with an elec- 5 5' tric current, either alternate or continuous, which is of the necessary voltage and amperage such as to bring the light to sufficient intensity to perform its work. With this arrangement of apparatus it is preferable to use some form of regulationsuch as an ordinary resistance-regulator or rheostat in case of a direct current or inductive resistance in case of an alternating current-so as to bring the light to the intensity proper to perform the desired operation upon any part of the material.

The lamps may be arranged in banks, with reflecting bodies at their backs to concentrate the energy upon the substance to be acted on. Moreover, it is of importance to have a circulation of air passed by and around these substances in order to rapidly carry off the moisture, and therefore it is advisable to artificially dry said air before it is passed around or through these substances. Artificiallydried air may be passed in currents through these receptacles by means of an ordinary pumping apparatus, thus passing it along and through the substances in such a way as to quickly carry ofi all moisture. It has been found by me that it is desirable for efficiency of action that the substances be reduced to suchcondition-ahat is, made sufficiently thin-that they can be readilyand economically acted on.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, let G represent a generator'of electricity, either a direct or alternating current dynamo-machine. I

Let L L represent wires extending from said generator to an incandescent lamp A or to an arc-lamp B.

Let 1 and 2 represent, respectively, a receptacle and a holder in or on which the organic the light. As shown in the drawing, various substances are placed in or on this receptaclefor instance, meats, fish, eggs, vegetables, and other similar organic substances.

R represents a resistance-regulator orrheostat or inductive resistance, which is placed anywhere in the circuit between the source of electrical energy and the lamp. Having raised the potential to the required degree and having attained the desired amount of current in the circuit, we switch the lamp into action and place the substances in or upon the receptacle 1 or 2 and expose them to the continuous action of the rays and heat from the light for any length of time-say from a few minutes or hours up to several days, the period of course depending upon the tenacity of life exhibited by each species of life-germs. It is often the case that the lowest forms of life, such as mold-germs, exhibit the greatest tenacity. Therefore it is well in such cases to expose the material to the direct action of the light for, say, several hours,or even days, as the case may be. Within the receptacle, in which is placed a group of incandescent lamps, preferably in banks, are reflectors situated behind orin proper relation to the lamps, so as to concentrate the rays of light upon the substances to be treated. Instead of reflectors of the mirror type whitepainted surfaces may be employed. These mirrors or reflecting-surfaces are, however, not absolutely essential and may be omitted. An air-pump D may supply a current of ordinary air, or preferably artificially-dried air, with a sufficient impetus to pass by and through the substances and carry 0E moisture, dust, and other injurious deposits. At D is shown the exit at which the air passes out of the receptacle. The air may, however, be used under natural draft induced by the heat within the receptacle, which under such conditions would have proper means for admission and discharge.

I find that a temperature of about to Fahrenheit is that producing the best results, although I have attained good effects under temperatures somewhat lower and higher. I have found. this action effective and useful in preserving meats, eggs, milk, and vegetablesin fact,all organic perishable substances.

If an incandescent lamp is used, it is to be clearly understood that the filament is to be of suflicient capacity to carry the necessary current of the proper potential. Therefore it is preferable to have the filament of much higher capacity than the one in an ordinary incandescent light of, say, sixteen to thirtytwo candle power. It is much better to use a lamp of, say, from fifty to one hundred candle power, or even more.

It may be necessary under some conditions and in some climates, when it is desired to maintainintact the sterilizing action of the radiant energy or actinic waves produced from the incandescent or are lamp, that the perishable substances shall be surrounded by a wrapping impervious to decay-germs, either after being acted on by said waves or while being acted on by said waves, and after. For though under certain conditions the action of these rays would be efficient in destroying the germs that are present, yet

their action might not under those conditions protect the substances from future attacks of germs. Therefore a protecting-coating under such conditions is necessary in all cases in which it is desired to keep the substances any considerable length of time uninjured and free from the above-mentioned deteriorating influences. The use of such protecting-coating with substances treated as aforesaid is therefore recommended where such conditions require it and forms part of my invention.

In the practice of my invention, in treating, for instance, meats I have found it advisable to reduce the meat to slices or cuts from half an inch to one inch and a half in thickness, and after treatment, under the conditions hereinbefore mentioned, has been completed to pulverize or grind the material, so as to bring it to convenient condition for packing, shipment, and use. In the use of meat so treated and pulverized it has been found that it may be made, by cooking, into most acceptable dishes for the table by the use, first, of sufficient moisture to restore the article to somewhat of its original condition, and afterward preparing and seasoning it in any way known to the art of cookery. If the meat or other substance is to'be used as the basis of a soup, stew, or the like, the previous addition of water or moisture is obviously unnecessary.

Any of the substances treated under my invention and pulverized may, if the form in which they are to be eaten requires it, be before preparation for the table restored to a condition resembling the original one by the addition of water.

The air admitted to the substances while in the presence of the lamps may befiltered by any suitable means to exclude from the substances the deleterious matter ordinarily found in the atmosphere, as well as to exclude flies or other insects, dust, &c. A screen or filtering agent suitable for this purpose is represented by X. i

The pulverized material may be conveniently cooked as a solid dish as follows: First supply to a given quantity enough water, or a little more, to restore that lost by evaporation, and allow the mixture to simmer over a fire for a short time until it is reduced to a pulp. Then cook, with the proper constituents and seasoning, as eroquettes, hash, Hamburg steak, &c., or in any of the many ways known to the art of cookery. Oysters, crabs, clams, &c., in this form of powder may be deviled or otherwise dished. The mode of preparation of soups, stews, and the like will be evident to the skilful cook.

The product which results from this process differs from all others with which I am familiar in being cured without any cooking action or by the employment of creosote, smoke, salt, or other antiseptic. The application of a powerful electric light in accordance with my method destroys any germs ICC 593,741 w i a .plantse. g. are or incandescent-have been installed in stores, markets, storage-rooms, and the like, and that in such stores, markets,

and storage-rooms perishable substances have been suspended or stored. Such an arrangement I do not claim, as having no bearing upon my invention, which is strictly limited to the'bringing of perishable substances, such as food products, distinctly within the active influenceof the waves of radiant energy which are generated by and through the electric light which is in proximity to said substances. In fact, it is an essential feature of my invention to have such juxtaposition of light and substances that the operative effect, which is the gist of my method, can take place. In the proper carryingout of. this method, as has been before set forth, suitable regulation of the intensity of the waves of radiant energy is an important factor.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim 1. The method of preserving organic perishable substances, which consists in generating electrical energy,-producing by said. energy waves of radiant energy, bringing said radiant energyto the required strength and activity, and causing it to-penetrate and act upon the perishable substances placed in proximity to the center of action for a sufficient length of time to destroy all germs ofdecay, substantially'as set forth.

2. The method of. preserving organic perishable substances, which consists in generating electric currents, carrying said currents to any desired point, producing by said currents, light, heat and actinic Waves of energy, bringing said waves to the required strength and activity, and causing them to penetrate and act upon the perishable substances placed in proximity to said point of action for a suffi cient length of time to destroy all germs of decay, substantially as set forth.

3. The method of preserving organic perishable substances, which consists in generating electric currents, carrying said currents to any desired point, producing by said currents a focus of radiant energy in, for example, an incandescent or are lamp, by which light, heat and actinic waves are produced, and causing said waves to penetrate and act upon the perishable substances placed in proximity to said focus for sufficient length of time to destroy all germs of decay, substantially asset forth.

4. The herein-described method of preserving organic perishable substances from decay and deterioration, which consists in producing by an electric current light, heat and actinic or chemical rays capable of penetrating said substances, and in proximity exposing the same to the penetrative action of said rays for, a sufficient length of time to accomplish the required result.

5. The method herein described of preservin g organic perishable substances from decay and deterioration, which consists in produc-' ing by an electric current heat, light and actinic or chemical rays, capable of penetrating said substances, in proximity exposing the same to the penetrative action of said rays, and regulating the amount of electrical energy in accordance with the demand, and subjecting said germs to said action for such time as is in accordance with the strength of the germs to be destroyed in each particular case.

6. The method of preserving organic per-. ishable substances from decay, which consists in producing by an electric current,light,heat and actinic or chemical rays, capable of penetrating said substances, and in proximity exposing said substances to the penetrative ac-' tion of said rays fora suflicient length of time to accomplish the required result, and enveloping the said substances in a germ-protectforth.

7 i The method of preserving organic'perishable substances, which consists in generating electric currents, carrying said currents to anydesired point, producing bysaid currents light, heat and actinic waves of energy,

bringing the saidwaves to the required strength and activity, and'causing them to penetrate and act upon the perishable substances placed in proximity to saidpoint fora sufficient length of time to destroy all germs of decay, and subjecting said substances,

while under the influence of said currents, to a circulation of air for carrying ofi therefrom the moisture liberated by the heat energy of said electric currents, substantially as set forth.

8. The method of preserving organic perishable substances, which consists in generating electric currents, carrying said currents to any desired point, producing by said currents light, heat and actinic waves of energy, bringing the said waves to the required strength and activity, and causing them to penetrate and act upon the perishable substances for a sufficient length of time to destroy all. germs of decay, and subjecting said substances, while in proximity to and under the influence of said currents, to a circulation of artificially-dried air for carrying off therefrom the moisture liberated by the heat energy of said electric currents, substantially as set forth.

9. The method of preserving organicperishable substances, which consists in generating electric currents, carrying said currents to any desired point, producing by said currents light, heat and actinic waves of energy,

bringing the said waves to the required strength and activity, and causing them to penetrate and act upon the perishable substances for a sufficient length of time to destroy all germs of decay, and subjecting said substances, while in proximity to and under the influence of said currents, to a circulation of artificially-dried and filtered air for carrying off therefrom the moisture liberated by the heat energy of said electric currents, substantially as set forth.

10. The herein-described method of producing an article of food, which consists in subjecting the food substance placed in proximity to the radiant energy of electric currents, utilizing therefrom the light, heat and actinic waves produced thereby, and earryin g off the moisture liberated by the heat energy of said currents, substantially as set forth.

11. The method of producing an article of food, which consists in subjecting the food substance placed in proximity to the radiant energy of. electric currents, utilizing therefrom the light, heat and actinic waves produced thereby, carrying off the moisture liberated by the heat energy of said currents, and finally pulverizing or grinding said substances, substantially as set forth.

12. The method of producing an article of food, which consists in subjecting the food substance placed in proximityto the radiant energy of electric currents, utilizing therefrom the light, heat and actinie waves produced thereby, carrying off by artificiallydried air the moisture liberated by the heat energy of said currents, and finally pulverizing or grinding said substance, substantially as set forth.

13. The method of producing an article of food, which consists in subjecting the food substance placed in proximity to the radiant energy of electric currents, utilizing therefrom the light, heat and aetinic waves produced thereby, carrying off by artificiallydried and filtered air the moisture liberated by the heat energy of said currents, and finally pulverizing or grinding said substance, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 1st day of August, 1896.

WILLARD e. DAY. [11. 5.] 

